Run Blitzes

[RogueHominid]

Quote: Originally Posted by MUSS

I have looked into it a little more, and Run blitzes really work best when manually controlling the LB. When the ball is hiked, your player will start to automatically move. To make sure he wont, hold the right trigger before the snap. Then act as a lead blocker for your teamates.

That's an interesting suggestion, Muss. Do you find that you're still able to move with a burst once you decide to come off the strafe trigger? The only potential drawback with this strategy is missing out on the initial speed burst that run readers get on running plays. Creatine has made some good observations about the bonus you get manually when controlling run readers by going full throttle at the start of the play.

[cHuMp3s]

my bronze linebacker core seem to dominate in cover 2 soft, but that is probaly just me who stops the run good with it

[RogueHominid]

Quote: Originally Posted by cHuMp3s

my bronze linebacker core seem to dominate in cover 2 soft, but that is probaly just me who stops the run good with it

Your personnel are very good, especially for bronzes. Van Pelt and Brazile (I think) are very good at skirting blocks and they just swallow up ball carriers any time they get within reach. Again, I'm not talking about general run defense; I'm talking about defending specific plays that are by default very well blocked and particularly challenging to match up with and contain consistently.

[cHuMp3s]

my cover 2 probably works because of the aggressive line calls i pick. if i think they are going to run to the left, im going gap left. its either gap left, gap right or all-in for my line calls one running downs. i shift my linebackers a lot to the strong side at always send my middle linebacker to where i think they are going to run(yea i do get beat in the pass sometimes when i do this). but now that i think about it, cover 3 strong and weak are good at stopping the run for a zone. i think a good blitz to stop an outside run is a corner blitz with the inside corner in nickel or dime. when i blitz to stop the run, i control the blitzer(usually i blitz with a generic in a running situation) and take out the lead blocker and just let my safties and linebackers flow to the play.

[CreatineKasey]

I like cover 1 blitzes for stopping the run. I blitz the side of the formation I think the run is going and usually man more defenders up on the backside to the RB to lock their pursuit in to him. This is predominantly for 3-4 defense. Another GREAT run blitz is to take an OLB and blitz him right off the tackle and run down the line to stop a run play. I've taken out ISO's in the backfield with talented OLB's this way. It's really rewarding to call a gap defense, have the RB bounce off his own C because your NG is in the backfield and you clean up the play for a 2 yard loss with your OLB crashing down!

For 4-3 defense I prefer to put premium talent in my front 7 and stop the run with an abundance of talent... shedding blocks and making plays, NOT winning with numbers in the box like my 3-4. Blitzing the OLB on the side the run is coming to can blow up some plays in the backfield. Both techniques work, and have their weaknesses just like any defense.

For any run blitz, it's best to blitz the gap the run is going to (obviously) and be aware of the ramifications of a run going elsewhere. I've learned this the hard way by blitzing my backside pursuit one too many times with my legend talent and leaving the RB out in the open with nobody there to get him.

[MUSS]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trojan Man

That's an interesting suggestion, Muss. Do you find that you're still able to move with a burst once you decide to come off the strafe trigger? The only potential drawback with this strategy is missing out on the initial speed burst that run readers get on running plays. Creatine has made some good observations about the bonus you get manually when controlling run readers by going full throttle at the start of the play.

Never tried it with a run reader, so im not sure (is it only when manually controlling). But my technique has worked, and worked again the more I try it. The thing I have noticed is that when you go full throttle (not sure about run reader) initially than an olineman seems to "auto-radar" you. If you tap A then its so much worse. The same goes on offense as the running back. Full throttle, the AI registers you faster. and when you tap A, the AI registers you almost automatically.

Holding strafe initially (or moving very slowly, which is a similar animation) just till you read the direction of the play or Oline blocking scheme makes it so the Oline or FB wont auto target you, unless you were their man to begin with.

Even with a Dlineman on a passing play, if you start off slow, the Olineman gets less of a jump on you. I think its mostly how the AI "reads things" on how to set up good blitzes and moves to shed blocks. If you set the defender up just right, sometimes just running into them i'll bulldoze them over. Which is perfect in a 3-4 when I play the TED LB.

[RogueHominid]

Nice points, Muss, I'll give that a shot.